Designation Hopes Dampened

Despite the overwhelming support of its community, the praise of building preservationists and its place in national and state registers of historic places, Douglaston Hill, it appears, does not fit the citys requirements for historic district designation.
For 14 years, the Douglaston/Littleneck Historical Society, with the support of its community, has fought to have the The Hill, as the residents refer to it, made an historic district, to prevent it from falling to the same fate as Malba a neighborhood, they said, whose charm has been wrecked by developers. The historic district designation, which would require any development to be approved by the Commission, is a useful tool in keeping the character of a communitys buildings and houses intact.
However, the Landmarks Preservation Commissions chairperson, Robert Tierney, had bad news for the society. Spurred by growing concerns from residents that a recently sold house at 240-35 43rd Avenue is expected to be demolished, a local official called Tierney to request an emergency calendaring for the neighborhood, which recently celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding. Such an action would have placed The Hill on track for historic district designation and would have at least temporarily prevented any demolition work and required any development to be approved by Landmarks, until a public hearing could be heard.
Instead, Tierney said that Douglaston Hill does not rise to the level of being a historic district.
"Its outrageous," said Kevin Wolfe, an architect and vice-president of the Douglaston Little Neck Historical Society, when he learned of the news. "Its a great disappointment, and we hope they reconsider."
The society began its efforts in 1989 with a mission to get both Douglas Manor and Douglaston Hill, two neighborhoods separated by only a mile, designated. After nine years, they were successful with Douglas Manor but The Hills designation has stalled.
A swath of approximately 45 buildings, including 19th century houses, small apartment buildings, and the Zion Church, Douglaston has received numerous endorsements from preservationists for both its architecture and historical significance.
"Douglaston Hill is an incredible place," said Simeon Bankoff, executive director of Historic Districts Council (HDC), an urban preservation organization in New York City that provides neighborhoods consulting. "Its unlike almost any other area Ive ever been to in New York City."
The Hill received HDCs imprimatur this past June, when the organization sent a letter to Tierney endorsing it for historic district designation.
For preservationists who have fought to protect the character and appearance of neighborhoods in Queens, the news from Tierney was baffling.
"How can the commission continue to do this?" asked Paul Graziano, who has been commissioned by Councilmanic District 19 to identify neighborhoods for historic district designation, to find deed restrictions on homes, and to evaluate zoning regulations all in an effort to combat a growing pattern of non-contextual development in northeast Queens. Graziano wondered how Douglas Manor could be designated but Douglaston Hill, an area with different but equally significant architecture and 50 years older, could be denied.
"The process appears to be very subjective," carped William Sievers, also a vice president of the Douglaston/Little Neck Historical Society. He criticized Landmarks for not having any published guidelines or standards that outline what the agency considers historically significant. Sievers stated that the city agency basically thumbs its nose at the opinions of other respected preservation organizations, including the national and state registers of historic places.
"To simply say that this doesnt measure up to the level of historic district status, that belies all of the work done by other professionals," said Sievers.
One comparison, though, that has raised the eyebrows of a few involved in the Queens preservation movement has been Fieldston, a suburban neighborhood located in the Bronx, where former Landmarks Commissioner Jennifer Raab resides. Landmarks recently held a public hearing a step in the historic district process that, if a neighborhood receives one, is usually a good indication that it will gain designation.
Graziano, who attended Fieldstons public hearing and fully supports the neighborhoods designation, said Douglaston Hill is at least of equal historical and architectural importance. He wondered why Fieldston, which has only been seeking historic district status for a year and half, would get fast tracked, especially as Graziano and Bankoff both noted, when it does not enjoy the same support for designation from its community members as The Hill does.
Graziano sees an undemocratic process in Landmarks decision making, which, in the case of Douglaston Hill, results in an entire communitys support for designation going unheard.
"Landmarks is not following the will of people that live there [The Hill] and describe the neighborhood as historic," said Graziano.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission did not immediately return phone calls for comment.